THIS invention relates to an alert device, system and method. More specifically, the invention relates to a device, system and method for alerting a hearing-impaired person through a sensory means of a sound event and the location of such sound event. The invention extends further to the tracking of an object within a predefined perimeter, outside or which an alert is triggerable.
Sensory alarm systems are well known. One such known system is disclosed in US published patent application no. 2011/0156898, which describes the combination of a plurality of sound-detecting units and a wearable unit for the hearing-impaired person, which wearable unit includes a vibrating means and a screen.
In the event of any one of the sound-detecting units detecting a sound, the vibrating means in the wearable unit is triggered to vibrate thereby to provide the hearing-impaired person with a sensory alert of such sound event. Additionally, the wearable unit displays on its screen an icon corresponding with the sound-detecting unit triggered, i.e. a fire alarm icon or a pet barking icon for respectively notifying the hearing-impaired person that the fire alarm has been tripped or that the dog is barking for its evening meal.
Although this system is capable of providing the hearing-impaired person with a sensory and visual alert of a sound event, the system has three major disadvantages. The first disadvantage is its inability to enable the hearing-impaired person to customise its use.
For example, if the user does not have a fire alarm or a pet, then the sound-detecting units and icons related to these events are rendered redundant. The second disadvantage is the cost associated with a wearable unit requiring a screen to display the respective icons.
The third disadvantage of the known system is its inability to make use of the sound-detecting units other than for detecting sound.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an alert device, system and method for addressing the disadvantages of the known prior art.